Elf Esteem
by MarieQuiteContrarie
Summary: Belle is delighted with Gideon's special Christmas outfit, but Rumple is less than enthused. Gold Family fluff story!


_A/N: Tumblr Winter/Holiday Prompt #7: "Awww look at my little elf!" (Rumbelle + Gideon). A little Christmas fic. Enjoy and let me know what you think!_

Gideon pulled on the little brass bell at the tip of his shoe, then giggled at its merry tinkle for at least the twenty-fifth time. "Giddy do!" he cried, and rewarded his mama with a huge, gummy smile that flashed four pearly, tiny white teeth, two on the top and two on the bottom.

"Awww, look at my little elf!" she cooed. "So handsome in his Christmas outfit!"

He clapped his hands and squealed at her praise. At fifteen months, he was big enough now to understand almost everything they said—and he was particularly attentive whenever accolades were involved.

Climbing to his feet on unsteady legs, he toddled from the coffee table where he was playing with his blocks over to the towering Christmas tree in the corner of the den.

"Giddy do?" he asked, blinking liquid chocolate eyes framed by ridiculously long, thick lashes that most eyelash-curling, mascara-wielding women would envy.

Belle could barely contain her chuckle at the hopeful expression on his little face as a chubby palm cupped one of the red glass ornaments on the bottom branches of the tree. "Ooooooh," he gurgled, and Belle stifled another giggle; she knew laughing would only encourage his antics.

"No, sweetheart." She gently pried his fingers loose from the shiny bauble. "Don't touch."

As a compromise, Belle offered him a stuffed Santa bear holding a festive felt replica of _'Twas the Night Before Christmas_ , and Gideon grabbed onto the fluffy white pom-pom on the top of his cap and stuffed the ball of fur in his mouth.

"Belle?" Rumple called. She tilted her head, listening for the light thump of his footfalls coming up the basement steps. "Sweetheart, where are you?"

"The den," she shouted back. "Playing with Gideon."

"There you are," he said with a smile, "and there's my-" He pulled up short, skidding to a halt in front of the sofa when he spotted Gideon chewing on his bear.

Belle beamed at his obvious surprise and gazed at their son as he gnawed on the fluffy Santa hat. Gideon's green velvet jacket and shorts were trimmed in gold, as was his red and green hat. A little red bow tie, peppermint buttons, and petite elf shoes with tiny brass bells at the tips completed the look. Perhaps the white and red striped tights were a bit much, but it was the holidays, and extravagance was the name of the game. "Don't you love it?"

Gideon flung the toy bear across the room. "Fly!" he shouted, "like wain-deew." He took off one of his curly elf shoes and shook it, giggling again at the little bell's high-pitched ring, then took off toward the toy box in search of another treasure.

"It's…well." Rumple pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Yes?" Belle encouraged, her smile widening.

"It's a little white trash is all," he said, picked up the discarded elf shoe and giving it a shake. "And is this what was producing that annoying tinkling noise? I could hear it all the way down in the basement while I was at the wheel. I could barely spin!"

Her good mood evaporated like snow on a warm winter day. "Oh. Well excuse me, _Mr. Gold._ "

He winced at her haughty tone. "Belle, no, you're getting the wrong idea. What I mean to say is that I would prefer to see him in something a bit more dignified."

She sent him a glare designed to melt the lights on the Christmas tree. Him and his _dignified_ blue pinstripe suit and his pathetic excuse for backpedaling.

"Dignified, is it?" She marched toward the toy box and scooped Gideon up in a huff. "Don't hold back for my sake, Rumple."

He winced again. "Sweetheart, you asked for my opinion. You said, 'Don't you love it?'"

"I was being polite!"

"So you _don't_ want to know what I think?"

Belle shrugged, feeling hurt and confused. "It wouldn't hurt you to lie once in a while." She patted Gideon's bottom and tried to rock him, more to soothe herself than him, but he squawked and squirmed in her arms, so she set the little bundle of energy on his feet with a longsuffering sigh.

"Giddy do, Da-da!" he hollered, then chased down the stuffed teddy and hurled him across the room once more.

Belle turned back to Rumple, a ball of anxiety curdling in her gut.

"Lie? he repeated, his brow furrowed in confusion. "But I thought honesty was 'the foundation of a solid marriage.' That's what Hopper always says when he's droning on and on in those interminable sessions."

Tears stung her eyes and she sniffled. "You know I love Archie, and counseling has done wonders for our family, but fantastic as he is, he's a single man who's never had a baby. What the hell does he know about hormones?"

"Hormones?" Alarm flashed in his eyes, then it quickly dissolved into compassion. "This conversation isn't really about the elf outfit, is it?"

"No," she said, beginning to cry in earnest because he was so damn clueless and brilliant all at the same time and she couldn't decide if she wanted to smack him or kiss the bewildered look off his stupid, handsome, wonderful face. So she settled for more tears. "It's about the fact that we're going to have another baby..." she hiccupped "…and you don't think I make good choices!"

"What?!" His mouth dropped open in shock.

"See? And _now_ you're looking at me like I have two heads. I'll just be your fat, silly, undignified wife person who has two heads!" she wailed, giving into sobs and collapsing on the sofa.

"Oh, sweetheart," she heard him say, and through her blubbering, she felt the cushion beside her dip as he sat down beside her. "My darling, precious Belle."

He gathered her into his arms and she melted against him. For long moments he held her, stroking her hair, his warm breath against her temple and his brogue soft and melodic. Again and again he told her how special she was, how happy she'd made him, and how very, very much he loved her.

A while later, he lifted her chin and she rubbed her wet eyes. She was sure they were red-rimmed and that her cheeks were smudged with mascara, but it didn't matter. His own eyes were glistening and his mouth was stretched into an outrageous grin. "When? I mean, how long have you known?"

"I took the test this morning." She took his pocket square out of his suit jacket and wiped her nose. "It's upstairs on our bathroom counter."

"And you're sure?"

She huffed an unamused laugh. "I swear my ankles are already swelling like marshmallows in a mug of hot chocolate." She looked around, suddenly realizing she'd lost track of Gideon.

"He fell asleep next to the toy box," Rumple said, following her gaze. "Look."

Their little cherub was curled up in a ball, clutching the abused stuffed bear against his chest. He released a deep, dreamy sigh, the kind only a slumbering child could make.

"Lucky thing he's not really one of Santa's elves," Rumple said. "Sleeping on the job the week before Christmas? It just isn't done."

She giggled. "Right you are. I'll take the outfit off as soon as he wakes up. We'll get him something proper and gentlemanly for Christmas."

"Please don't, Belle. I think I was wrong about the elf ensemble." He grinned. "He looks rather adorable, actually."

She narrowed her eyes. "You're not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?"

"I'm really not, love. And I _do_ think you make good choices." He drew her head back down to his shoulder. "Other than that rotten husband of yours. You should throw him out on the next trash day."

"Never!" she whispered fiercely, grinning against his neck. "He's the most amazing, supportive husband in the world."

"You're not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?" he echoed with a teasing smile.

She blinked innocently. "I always tell you the truth."

"Indeed." Rumple splayed his hands over her still-flat tummy, and the look of wonder in his eyes made her heart skip a beat. "I have a feeling this one's going to be a girl," he confided. "One with a spirit as beautiful as her mother's."

###


End file.
